The world according to Aikawa Sho

[Don Brown]

(This news is about a week old, but I didn't have time to send it to the 
list earlier. Sorry)

Actor Aikawa Sho (42) has just released a collection of his famous sayings 
entitled ?Sho, Iwaku.? The book collects some of his most memorable 
quotes from magazine and television interviews, spanning from his debut in 
1984 to the present. Each of the book?s 162 pages feature a single 
comment, and comprise six chapters headed ?Work & Human Relations,? 
?Masculinity,? ?Love and Marriage,? ?Family,? ?Education? and 
?Dreams.? 
?[The things I say] haven?t changed since I made my debut. I?ve been 
saying the same things for twenty years,? said Aikawa. ?They?re not that 
profound, it?s just as if I was talking to myself in a loud voice,? he 
laughs. ?I haven?t died yet, so I did say that I thought [publication] 
was a little premature.?
This year marks the 20th anniversary of his debut with dancers and pop 
idols Isseifubi Sepia, and ?Zebraman,? the Miike Takashi-directed 
superhero film which marks Aikawa?s 100th starring appearance, will be 
released on February 14th next year. More familiar for his roles as thugs 
and mobsters, here he plays a teacher with a penchant for costumed heroes 
who decides to make his own outfit and battle the forces of evil. Suzuki 
Kyoka (?Satorare?) and Watabe Atsuro (?Inugami?) co-star.
 The movie has already inspired its first spin-off, as Zebraman will be 
making the transition from the silver screen to the square circle. Pro 
wrestling fan Aikawa made the proposal during an interview with a puroresu 
magazine, which was taken up by mat star and Zero-One promotion owner, 
Hashimoto Shinya (38). A big fan of legendary grappler Antonio Inoki since 
childhood, Aikawa even went so far as to claim that ?even in my Isseifubi 
Sepia days, if I could have become a pro wrestler I would have.? The 
costumed avenger will be introduced to the public on December 14th at the 
Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, and makes his ring debut at the Saitama Super 
Arena on January 4th next year.  
Aikawa also makes a brief appearance as himself in ?Kisarazu Cat?s Eye: 
Nihon Series,? which is currently enjoying huge success despite initially 
playing in only two theatres, in Shibuya and Kisarazu itself (the film 
opened nationwide this weekend). Appearing as a moviestar with 1,000 movie 
appearances under his belt (one more zero than the real figure), Aikawa 
even mentions ?Zebraman? during his cameo. Incidentally, the two films 
share the same screenwriter, Kudo Kankuro (33), who is currently in great 
demand in film and television with a host of writing (?Ping Pong?) and 
acting (?Fukumimi,? ?13 Steps?) credits to his name.

Sources: 
http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200311/gt2003111608.html
http://www.sanspo.com/geino/top/gt200311/gt2003111604.html 
http://movies.yahoo.co.jp/m1?ty=nd&id=20031115-00000021-spn-ent

Don Brown

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